Transnistria!
Dec. 11th, 2015 02:13 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
motodraconisTransnistria, also known as Trans-Dniestr or to give it its full name, the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic.
While rummaging on things to do in Moldova, came across the contested state of Transnistria. It's a state unrecognised by the United Nations. I'm not going to get sucked into the complex wrangle of this state! It was described to me (more or less) thus, by a person in favour of the state as: having broken away when the newly formed Moldova wanted to stamp out the distinctly Russian flavour of this section of Moldova, among other things, insisting on the primary language to be Moldovan (Romanian) not Russian. The large section of ethnic Russian inhabitants objected and wanted to break away with a 5 month civil war breaking out in 1992. The Transnistians really didn't have much hope, but a particular Russian General...
...decided to intervene, causing something of an awkward incident that could have drawn the EU and Russia into war. Both sides didn't really want the aggro, so now Transnistia is sort of left to it's own devices. Unrecognised, but with "peacekeeping" Russian troops permanently stationed. (With the odd tank sitting at checkpoints under gauze.)
Me with tank.![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
timscience identified this as a T-34.
Tank tread marks on the street.
They like tanks... eternal flame with tank.
Transnistria flag (and tank.)
What Moldovans think is less clear, I didn't really get to discuss it with any Moldovans. The most I got was "them... they're really obsessed with talking Russian." (Pulls an intriguing face, which I interpreted as a sign not to pursue the subject.)
But - Yuri Gagarin! Everyone loves Yuri!
View over the Dniester river from Bendery on the Western Bank of the Dniester. (Most of Transnistria is on the Eastern Bank.)
Abandoned river port.
Soviet art is alive and well outside the train station (no longer in use) and indeed everywhere. Which is presumably the draw for tourists to visit. You'll need a passport, and will have to go through a checkpoint with special dispensation to visit for the day. Because of this, it is probably sensible to go with a tour guide rather than crossing the border solo. I used these guys who I'd seen recommended on Lonely Planet or similar.
From Wikipedia "Solicitation of bribes and general harassment from police are common when entering and leaving Transnistria. The lack of embassies in Transnistria is often used as leverage by local authorities against tourists and the threat of indefinite detention is not unheard of. The Transnistrian government has taken steps to combat this activity, including establishing a hotline for reporting harassment and bribery."
It also has a bit of a dodgy reputation as a nucleus of smuggling for weapons, cigarettes and alcohol in unknown volume to undetermined locations.
Tour. Tour with guide probably a good idea, though I was unnerved by the email asking for a photograph so I could be "identified in hotel reception for pick-up. I sent a particularly unflattering Big-Nose-ugly-photo just to make it clear I was not worth kidnapping and selling as a prostitute. Ah... just in case.
Arrgh! Creepy art.
Lenin, not just untoppled, but cast anew!
Me and Lenin.
And more Lenin
But is was coming up to Xmas, here is the bustling square in the middle of Bendery.
Bullet holes in the wall, left as a reminder of the bloodshed of 1996.
The tour ended with a visit to the tour guide's flat. Er... not awkward, er... much.
But it was to besubjected to treated to some Traditional Squeezebox Music - click photo below to go to flickr to play the video and hear it for yourself (if you dare!)
Folk Song video - also click through to see how your Russian is bearing up.
Actually, all rather interesting, albeit in a slightly WTF way. I recommend it!
While rummaging on things to do in Moldova, came across the contested state of Transnistria. It's a state unrecognised by the United Nations. I'm not going to get sucked into the complex wrangle of this state! It was described to me (more or less) thus, by a person in favour of the state as: having broken away when the newly formed Moldova wanted to stamp out the distinctly Russian flavour of this section of Moldova, among other things, insisting on the primary language to be Moldovan (Romanian) not Russian. The large section of ethnic Russian inhabitants objected and wanted to break away with a 5 month civil war breaking out in 1992. The Transnistians really didn't have much hope, but a particular Russian General...
...decided to intervene, causing something of an awkward incident that could have drawn the EU and Russia into war. Both sides didn't really want the aggro, so now Transnistia is sort of left to it's own devices. Unrecognised, but with "peacekeeping" Russian troops permanently stationed. (With the odd tank sitting at checkpoints under gauze.)
Me with tank.
timscience identified this as a T-34.Tank tread marks on the street.
They like tanks... eternal flame with tank.
Transnistria flag (and tank.)
What Moldovans think is less clear, I didn't really get to discuss it with any Moldovans. The most I got was "them... they're really obsessed with talking Russian." (Pulls an intriguing face, which I interpreted as a sign not to pursue the subject.)
But - Yuri Gagarin! Everyone loves Yuri!
View over the Dniester river from Bendery on the Western Bank of the Dniester. (Most of Transnistria is on the Eastern Bank.)
Abandoned river port.
Soviet art is alive and well outside the train station (no longer in use) and indeed everywhere. Which is presumably the draw for tourists to visit. You'll need a passport, and will have to go through a checkpoint with special dispensation to visit for the day. Because of this, it is probably sensible to go with a tour guide rather than crossing the border solo. I used these guys who I'd seen recommended on Lonely Planet or similar.
From Wikipedia "Solicitation of bribes and general harassment from police are common when entering and leaving Transnistria. The lack of embassies in Transnistria is often used as leverage by local authorities against tourists and the threat of indefinite detention is not unheard of. The Transnistrian government has taken steps to combat this activity, including establishing a hotline for reporting harassment and bribery."
It also has a bit of a dodgy reputation as a nucleus of smuggling for weapons, cigarettes and alcohol in unknown volume to undetermined locations.
Tour. Tour with guide probably a good idea, though I was unnerved by the email asking for a photograph so I could be "identified in hotel reception for pick-up. I sent a particularly unflattering Big-Nose-ugly-photo just to make it clear I was not worth kidnapping and selling as a prostitute. Ah... just in case.
Arrgh! Creepy art.
Lenin, not just untoppled, but cast anew!
Me and Lenin.
And more Lenin
But is was coming up to Xmas, here is the bustling square in the middle of Bendery.
Bullet holes in the wall, left as a reminder of the bloodshed of 1996.
The tour ended with a visit to the tour guide's flat. Er... not awkward, er... much.
But it was to be
Folk Song video - also click through to see how your Russian is bearing up.
Actually, all rather interesting, albeit in a slightly WTF way. I recommend it!
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no subject
Date: 2015-12-11 03:51 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-12-12 02:06 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-12-11 11:47 pm (UTC)The other tank is an armoured personnel carrier and therefore less interesting.
no subject
Date: 2015-12-12 08:35 pm (UTC)